Last week, more than 20 Goldman Travel Group team members travelled to Singapore for International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) Asia Pacific, one of the most significant luxury travel trade events on the global calendar. Representing offices across Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Gold Coast, the group joined thousands of travel professionals from around the world for four days of appointments, briefings and relationship-building with the hotel, cruise, airline and destination partners our clients travel with every day.
For a travel management company, events like ILTM are difficult to replicate through any other means. The value is not in the brochures or the presentations — it is in the face-to-face conversations that happen across a schedule of back-to-back appointments. Meeting a hotel general manager directly, hearing firsthand what has changed at a property, or being introduced to a new cruise line or experience partner before they are widely known in the market, these are the moments that translate into sharper advice and better outcomes for clients. No email or webinar delivers the same quality of intel.
Beyond the formal appointment schedule, the event’s after-hours networking programme gave the team further opportunity to strengthen existing partnerships and build new ones in a more relaxed setting.
Among the many partners David Goldman met with across the four days, several properties stood out as particularly well suited to corporate and bleisure travellers.
Hotel Arts Barcelona, Ritz-Carlton — Barcelona, Spain
Sitting directly on the Port Olímpic seafront, Hotel Arts Barcelona is a natural fit for business travellers who want a genuine city base without sacrificing location or comfort. Two pools, four restaurants and direct beach access give it a flexibility that most urban business hotels can’t match. A bridge connection to its new boutique sibling, Casa Dels Artistes, adds a compelling option for pre or post-stay extensions — particularly for travellers looking to experience Barcelona at a slightly different pace once work commitments are done.
Grand Hôtel Stockholm — Stockholm, Sweden
Operating since 1874, Grand Hôtel Stockholm occupies one of the finest waterfront positions in the city, overlooking the Royal Palace and Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s historic old town. The property has long drawn a strong mix of corporate, group and conference business, backed by its Virtuoso membership and a dining offering that is genuinely worth travelling for in its own right. The Veranda is renowned for its traditional smörgåsbord, Mathias Dahlgren’s award-winning restaurants add a fine dining dimension, and the Cadier Bar and Riviera-inspired Grand Soleil round out an on-property experience well above the corporate hotel standard.
Fairmont Bangkok — Bangkok, Thailand
Opening in 2026 in the heart of Sukhumvit, Fairmont Bangkok is positioning itself as a strong option for both corporate travellers and families visiting one of Asia’s most active business destinations. Across approximately 416 rooms, the property brings the Fairmont brand’s hallmark of scale and reliability to a location that puts guests at the centre of Bangkok’s commercial and hospitality corridor.
Andaz One Bangkok — Bangkok, Thailand
For design-conscious business travellers, Andaz One Bangkok offers a different proposition within the same city. Located in the new One Bangkok precinct adjacent to Lumphini Park, the property reflects the Andaz brand’s emphasis on local character and considered design — a welcome contrast for frequent travellers who find standard corporate hotels interchangeable. The One Bangkok development itself is one of the most significant urban projects in Thailand’s recent history, and being positioned within it gives the property an energy that extends well beyond its own walls.
Fairmont Century Plaza — Los Angeles, United States
Set in Century City at the meeting point of Los Angeles’ entertainment and business worlds, Fairmont Century Plaza has established itself as a natural home for corporate and group travel during the week. Come the weekend, the property shifts into a more relaxed leisure register — making it a strong option for travellers building a bleisure itinerary around LA business commitments. The location places guests within easy reach of Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and Santa Monica, without the congestion of staying further into the city.
The learning didn’t stop when the event closed. Many of our advisors have extended their time in the region with famils across South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and beyond — experiencing our partners’ properties firsthand and developing destination knowledge that comes only from being there. That on-the-ground experience feeds directly into the advice we give when planning your next trip.
Interested in any of the destinations or properties our team connected with at ILTM Asia Pacific? Reach out to your Goldman Travel consultant to find out what we learnt.
